My Experience

Writing my first research paper in college was like carrying a backpack full of rocks. It seemed so heavy and stressful. With all of the sources and facts to gather, and instructions to writing the paper, I never really saw the point of just doing a research paper “for fun”. I guess because I was never really taught the point of doing research or even how to do a research paper (thanks to high school) I was just trying to accomplish something with all this extra work. All I had in mind was get all the basic requirements done and make it sound good.  I first had picked a topic, not thought of on picked one from a list. I then searched the internet and made a concrete thesis for my paper. I then went to the library to  look at specific books on my topic. After I made my first draft and looked it over I then finished it up by making sure i addressed the audience clearly.Now this may seem bad that I am the type of student to just get by, but it was my first research paper and I had no clue what I was doing. 

The Bare Minimum 

“The great research Disaster” by William Badke explains a similar student that has faced some troubles with writing a research paper. One thing that stuck out to me was when student Liw Ekdab talks about “writing to requirements”. I mostly connect with this because a lot of the times I cannot find something that I enjoy writing about and I just do the bare minimum to get it turned in.  If its just finding some ole quote or blabbing on just to meet a word count. It was’s that I wasn’t qualified to do this extensive work, I just had no drive. Research papers take a lot of time and effort that I know many of my classmates dread. Many like myself tend to feel less motivated when having to write about something they have no interest in. It is completely normal and one way I found to get what you really want out a research paper is find something that does interest you. When being required to write about something you don’t like you will find yourself just skating by. With a topic of your interest you wont want to stop writing and researching. It’s just like ordering a large milkshake and not wanting it to end. 

“Research is about discovery and problem solving not merely meeting obligations“. 

In The End

It is obvious that when you find a topic interesting you will excel in learning about it and want to do more research on that topic but this might not always be the case. Liw Ekdab was never clearly taught how to research anything so he did not appreciate what he could get out of it.  As he cut corners and met the basic requirements of his research paper he did not use his full potential.  I believe Liw and I have this in common:  “His main problem is that no one led him to the adventure of research, a task that takes time and a certain amount of motivation”.   It is possible you wont take the same learning adventure as the next person,  so you use your own motivation to do the best you can.  Just like in life you do not just live to fulfill the requirements. The real requirements that needs to be filled are the ones that interest you and put forth the effort in. Then you will enjoy doing research!